File No. 250

House of Representatives, April 4, 2012

The Committee on Judiciary reported through REP. FOX, G. of the 146th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED WOMEN.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Correction shall examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of (1) permitting the placement of children born to detained women at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Niantic, at a nursery facility within such institution, and (2) establishing a nursery facility within such institution for such purpose.

(b) In conducting such examination, the commissioner shall consider possible eligibility criteria for placement of children at such nursery facility. Such eligibility criteria may include, but need not be limited to:

(1) Limiting eligibility to detained women who were pregnant when their detention began and whose children were born during such detention;

(2) Limiting eligibility to women whose detention does not exceed eighteen months or any other period recommended by the commissioner; and

(3) Requiring participants to comply with any program, education, counseling or other participation requirements established by the commissioner.

(c) Not later than January 2, 2013, the Commissioner of Correction shall submit a report on such examination and the commissioner's recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary. Such report shall be submitted in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, and shall identify amendments to sections 18-69 and 18-69a of the general statutes necessary to implement such recommendations, if any.

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

In section 1(b), changes were made for proper grammar.

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

There is no fiscal impact associated with studying the feasibility and costs of establishing a childcare facility at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Niantic for the children of women detained at the facility.

The Out Years

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

OLR Bill Analysis

HB 5288

AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED WOMEN.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Judiciary Committee

Joint Favorable